The Red-Faced Guan Yu

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 6, 2015.)

Guan Yu (center) and his sworn friends at Guan Di Temple, Shenzhen

Even if you've never visited a temple, you may have encountered a red-faced military figure with a long, side-swept black beard. He's commonly seen in shops and restaurants, as well as in different kinds of temples--Buddhist, Taoist, and folk.

The Qielan Hall

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on July 4, 2016.)

Guanyu/Qielan in three forms, Nangshan Cishou Temple, Putian, Fujian

We have talked before of the popular Daoist figure Guanyu, who has his own temples (one is located in Shenzhen's Xin'an Old City). We mentioned there that Buddhists know him as "Qielan." Here's his story.